Pate Swap Meet

[sam r]

My name is Sam Romeo. I'm in charge of advertising for the Pate Swap Meet [pateswapmeet.com ( starts the last Thursday of April every year at The Texas Motor Speedway). This past meet we sold right at 9000 Vendor spaces, placing Pate up close to Hersey in vendor spaces. My goal is to increase the presence of pre war vendors (both with used and new parts). My question to all of you who will reply to this post is this - what would it take to get prewar vendors motivated to vend at Pate? I can add new parts vendors to my advertising in our webpage and also in my display adds in marque magazines produced by the Model T, Model A and other clubs. Our registrar has agreed to set aside several hundred spaces in one of the new sections we have laid out in the past two years if I can get enough interest in the next few months to warrant it. And suggestions, ideas or comments.

Thanks

Sam   

[John_S_in_Penna]

20 hours ago, sam r said:

...What would it take to get prewar vendors motivated to vend at Pate?...

 

Sam, I hope you're enormously successful!

 

The real thing that would increase the SUPPLY of pre-war parts vendors

would be an increase in DEMAND there for pre-war parts!

[Terry Bond]

Sam, I applaud your efforts in publicly soliciting input.  I see you've also got some feedback on the Model T Club forum.  Always wished I'd been able to get to Pate, still might try it someday.  At first I was going to say something like - don't get me started on topics like this as I've got some strong opinion on what makes a good (or bad) event, but realizing each is unique, has it's own history, and I've never been to Pate, I'll limit my input to just a few suggestions.  Please don't introduce ridiculous fees for vendors to transfer spaces.  Please try to police the event to keep it automotive in nature (no Beanie-Babies, perfume, candles, clothing, yard sale and craft stuff, etc).  Don't try to justify it because "the ladies need something to look at too."  My wife has grease under her fingernails and enjoys looking at old tools and crusty MG parts more than dishes any day of the week.   Trying to segregate stuff is going to be difficult.  Where would you put a guy selling new tools, supplies, services, etc. who wants to market his stuff to the pre-war crowd?  A swap meet is a treasure hunt so recommend you try hard to keep it that way as much as possible.  The thrill of the hunt and excitement of discovery is what keeps many of us coming back.  Otherwise we might as well just stick with ebay.  One thing that is a possibility is to offer a special price for pre-war vendors.  Two stalls for the price of one?  That might help kick-start your special pre-war section.   While I believe the increase in emphasis on pre-war restricted events is commendable, the reality is you're trying to convince a diminishing audience of vendors/buyers that your event is worth attending.  I for one sure would like to get there to see how your ideas work out.  For me, it would be great if you'd put all the vendors with odd-ball old antique spark pugs into one space and let me in first!

Terry

Edited July 15, 2016 by Terry Bond (see edit history)

[Bob Zetnick]

I don't know how Chickasha, OK. does it, but they seem to have all sorts of prewar parts and cars. I try to go every spring. I used to always go to Pate in the 70s...I saw my first Detroit Electric (all original) and remember 2 restored '22 Studebaker tourings for sale...among many other cars and parts...got a lot of parts for my '29 Dodge (still have it). Last time I went (maybe 5 years ago at Arlington Stadium, I did see a '17 Chevy 490 and a 1911 Cadillac! It would be nice to have another prewar venue in DFW...I know vendors for Model Ts and A's could be well represented as well as early Chevrolet, maybe that's a core to start building a prewar area around...maybe some Chickasha vendors could come in too since your event is later in the year....like Terry said above, no crafty, non-automotive stuff...I do like the old gas station stuff though!

[Joe in Canada]

Have been to Pate a few times and enjoyed the event finding newer truck parts. Also got to the Good Guys event at the speedway about ten years ago but the swap meet part was very small. 

[JFranklin]

You could offer to have a designated area for mostly pre-war parts and cars vendors. Those with mostly older stuff. Or conversely a such area for moderns and hotrods. 

[Marty Roth]

I commend your impetus and welcome the hopeful outcome.

 

I started attending Pate in the 1970s, and attended every year until you moved it from the Pate Ranch to the racetrack (and separated our multiple spaces from the groups we had always been a part of). I've not been back since the move, and sometimes think of trying to attend again.

 

I applaud the idea of an area specifically designated for Pre-War, although I vend both Pre- as well as Post-War at Hershey, and still have my Petit Jean spaces.

 

Terry Bond's suggestions (above) are right on-target. and PLEASE ELIMINATE the NON-AUTOMOTIVE. Even my wife complains about the dishes, bric-a-brac, and other ridiculous stuff some vendors try to push which have no place at an automotive swap meet. 

 

Pate always used to have a great Car Corral, and I bought and sold cars as well as mostly pre-war parts when the meet was still at the ranch - in the spaces diredtly in front of the windmill and horse corral

 

Please report back on this post as to your findings and your ability to follow through.